3rd November 2014

Hiring
of outside help might be its first for 'strategic communication services'

Source: Straits Times / Singapore

IN AN
unusual move, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is turning to public relations
(PR) experts to help it communicate manpower policies in a strategic way.

It has asked
for proposals for a plan to analyse public and online sentiments on manpower
issues, and respond to them in an "integrated" way, using media
stories, blogs and social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter.

The services
required include coaxing journalists to write one or two MOM stories a month,
and getting MOM officials featured in live and recorded TV and radio programmes
every three months, according to its letter to prospective firms, which The
Straits Times has seen.

While MOM
has previously hired external experts to organise events, print brochures and
run public education campaigns, it is believed that this is the first time it
has turned to them to provide such "strategic communication
services".

This also
goes beyond its hiring of a Singapore firm in June for $154,000 to monitor
daily how local and foreign media are reporting news related to the ministry.

The
year-long plan is expected to kick in next year.

When
contacted, the ministry confirmed that it requested proposals from experts last
week but declined to give details, including expected costs.

Its
spokesman would only say: "MOM continually reviews our communication and
publicity efforts for our announcements and policies.

"The
request for proposals is part of our ongoing effort to enhance our
communications, and explore new communication channels for better
effectiveness."

Its letter
to prospective firms also said the chosen company will have to write
commentaries every two months, although it is unclear where these commentaries would
be published.

The issues
that the expert is likely to handle for the ministry include high-profile
policies such as those involving the Central Provident Fund, the rehiring of
older workers, and public sentiments against foreigners who are perceived to
have deprived Singaporeans of good-paying jobs.

MOM's latest
move gets the backing of some experts and industry watchers.

"It is
a sensible thing to do," said MP Zainudin Nordin, who chairs the
Government Parliamentary Committee for Manpower.

"Public
expectations have gone up and it is important for the Government to have its
policies clearly communicated to the public," he said. "And
ministries can tap experts with the skills to help them."

Human
resource analyst Martin Gabriel from HRMatters21 said manpower issues are
getting complex and it is natural for the ministry to turn to experts for help.

"But in
the long run, it is better for the ministry to have its own in-house expertise
rather than rely on external experts," he said.

"And
the ministry also has to watch the cost of hiring these external experts
because the public may question why the ministry is spending money in this
manner."

Units bought by fairly proportionate mix of
S'poreans, foreigners

Source: Business Times / Real Estate

World Class Land (WCL)
sold 69 per cent of the units released in its iconic Australia 108 launch over
the weekend in Singapore. The Singapore developer confirmed with The Business Times
that as at 5 pm on Sunday, it had sold 133 out of the 193 units that were
released at a special Singapore preview showcase.

There was no
lack of interest at the sales launch of Australia 108, touted to be Melbourne's
tallest building, yesterday.

When
completed in 2019, the freehold, 1,105-unit project in Southbank, near Crown
Casino, will stand tall at 319m. This is just 3m shy of the aviation limit for
Southbank, said developer World Class Land, a subsidiary of Singapore-listed
Aspial Corp.

The
developer said 125 out of 193 released units were sold at prices from A$410,000
(S$463,000) to A$580,000 for one-bedders, which start from around 456.4 sq ft,
and A$520,000 to A$899,000 for two-bedders, which start from 622.2 sq ft.
Buyers were a mixture of Singaporeans and foreigners. Construction is expected
to begin next year.

At
yesterday's launch, units on nine floors between levels 11 and 67, or the
"Sky Residences", were released. These are the smaller units, of
studio, one-bedroom, one-bedroom and study, and two-bedroom configurations.

The higher
levels 72 to 97, or "Cloud Residences", offer larger units, including
a 8,661 sq ft super penthouse on the 100th storey which is said to offer
360-degree views for a "top of the world sensation". These are
expected to be launched in one to two weeks' time.

One buyer of
a one-bedroom unit yesterday said Australia 108 was his first investment
property.

"It's
in the heart of the city and will be easy to rent out. It's also close to the
Melbourne Cricket Ground and I'm interested in the sport," said a
42-year-old engineering firm director who wanted to be known as Nathan.

JTC LaunchPad @ one-north will enlarge and
improve facilities for startups in Singapore's version of Silicon Valley by the
end of the year

Source: Business Times / Technology

WHEN Block
71 - a drab, 1970s factory building on Ayer Rajah Crescent - was relaunched
three years ago as a central office and incubation space for startups, many
weren't sure it would work. Its neck of the woods, a good walk from any MRT
station, made it hard to get to; its standalone, seven storeys of nondescript
wall-to- wall units were hardly inspiring.

Yet, it has become the closest thing Singapore has to
a Silicon Valley: the epicentre of Singapore's startup ecosystem, one of the
most compact in the world, housing as many as 262 startups, 20 incubators and
1,000 talents. Observers believe it has the potential to produce a wave of tech
superstars.

Building on its success, the JTC LaunchPad @ one-north
was announced in March this year. It will comprise Block 71 and two more
blocks, 73 and 79, as well as new amenities such as food kiosks, collaboration
spaces, shared meeting rooms and sports facilities(See
infographic here).

The
expansion, delivering at least 12,000 square metres worth of additional space,
marks an important milestone in Singapore's journey to build a vibrant and
sustainable startup cluster, JTC told The Business Times.

By the end of this year, both new blocks will be
completed, and the LaunchPad will see a 90 per cent occupancy rate, comprising
some 31 incubators and 441 startups, of which 91 will have their own space and
the other 350 will be housed in incubators, JTC said.

Accelerators, corporate partners (banks and law
firms), venture capitalists, and community and social enterprises have also
been urged to join the growing startup community at the LaunchPad.

At this time, major tenants include Infocomm
Investments, Exploit Technologies, JFDI.Asia, SingTel Innov8 Ventures, NUS
Enterprise, and the recently privatised ACE Ltd.

ACE (Action Community for Entrepreneurship), the
country's flagship entrepreneurship agency, had in September announced plans to
set up shop at the LaunchPad alongside news of its privatisation; it is now led
by entrepreneurs and investors after the government's exit - a move welcomed by
industry players.

And this is only one of the many ways the local
startup scene has evolved since Block 71.

At least 27 Singapore-based startups have been
acquired in the last three years, in buyouts totalling over US$500 million.
There is also more money for startups in the pipeline; just this year, Golden
Gate Ventures launched a S$50 million early-stage fund, Monk's Hill Ventures a
S$100 million Series A and B fund, and Catcha Ventures a US$75 million
growth-stage fund.

Moreover, the Entrepreneurship Review Committee, set
up by ACE last year to recommend ways to enhance the entrepreneurship
landscape, has unveiled its first set of results, calling on private sector
players to do more to drive the spirit of enterprise here.

And they have. Local banks, for instance, have been
eager to partner social media and mobile banking startups to reach their
customers anytime, anywhere; OCBC Bank has even introduced a collateral-free
loan that provides startups as young as six months old with easier access to
funds up to S$100,000.

The government, too, has continued to play its part as
facilitator, injecting some S$60 million to grow medical technology startups
here from September, and enabling over 160 partnerships between large
organisations and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) - startups included
- under the Partnerships for Capability Transformation programme since 2013.

"The difference between us and Silicon Valley,
New York City or others is the amount of government intervention," Teo Ser
Luck, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said during the LaunchPad
announcement in March. He added that while the government used to play a big
role in catalysing the startup ecosystem, moving on, it would take on a more
supportive and strategic role, such as designing the LaunchPad.

"The LaunchPad is a milestone for us, but it is
just a small step. We are . . . building the environment and the ecosystem for
entrepreneurs . . . (who bring) to life new products, services and business
models . . . that renew and re-energise the sectors," said Mr Teo.
"If this is successful, we will build more of such clusters."

Keppel
T&T also owns three centres in Singapore, where it is the largest
home-grown player.

"We
will continue to look at new sites to acquire in Singapore... In China, there
are opportunities for upgrading or refurbishing existing facilities," Mr
Pang, 49, told The Straits Times, in his first media interview since taking
over as chief executive in July.

He is
leading the company through a pivotal time. The firm announced plans in January
to spin off its data centre business into a real estate investment trust (Reit)
on the Singapore Exchange's mainboard.

The sizeable
and highly anticipated listing, which could reportedly raise US$400 million
(S$514 million), will be the first data centre trust in Asia.

On Jan 8,
the company's stock jumped on an announcement about the listing to a six-year
high of $1.87.

In an
announcement on Thursday, the company said efforts to carry out an initial
public offering "are currently ongoing" and various applications to
the stock exchange and Monetary Authority of Singapore have been submitted.

The strong
demand for data centre services has been driven by trends such as the rise of
cloud computing and regulations requiring banks and financial institutions to
back up client information.

The company
also has ambitious plans for its logistics business both in Singapore and
abroad.

"We
hope to be able to grow revenue and cashflow beyond current Singapore-centric
levels," said Mr Pang, previously chief executive of Keppel Infrastructure
Fund Management. He has been with Keppel Corp for more than 12 years.

Business
here has been dampened by ongoing economic restructuring and the tight labour
market - which has also hit customers in industries such as manufacturing.

But Mr Pang
said the company has been moving towards serving clients in higher value-added
sectors such as medical technology, pharmaceuticals and aerospace. There are
also plans to grow the offshore and marine segment of the logistics business,
starting with providing services to sister companies such as Keppel Offshore
& Marine, he added.

Keppel
T&T is also expecting the logistics business as a whole to pick up next
year when facilities in China, Malaysia and Vietnam begin contributing to
revenue.

Mr Pang, who
became chief executive following a spate of high-level resignations at the firm
in April, also sought to reassure shareholders that the Keppel group has a
"deep bench".

"Besides
me, there would have been many other candidates who can take over
immediately... Internally, we can fill positions very quickly."

The
company's latest results show that "our operations teams have not missed a
beat" despite the management changes, he added.

Part of a leading medical centre, its green architecture and
design were getting a lot of attention, as was its integration of top-notch
modern medicine with health and wellness spaces inspired by cultures from
around the world.

My father's doctor had moved there, and driving to his appointment
we looked forward to experiencing the cutting-edge new building.

Outside, I unloaded the walker and led my 82-year-old father
through the sliding glass doors.

Inside, there was a single bench made of recycled materials. I
noticed it didn't have the arm supports that a frail elderly person requires to
safely sit down and get back up.

It was a long trek to the right clinic and I was double-parked
outside. Helping my father onto the bench, I said "Wait here" and
hoped he would remember to do so long enough for me to park and return.

He nodded. We were used to this. It happened almost everywhere we
went: at restaurants, the bank, the airport, department stores. Many of these
places - our historic city hall with its wide steps and renovated dome, the
futuristic movie theatre and the new clinic - were gorgeous.

The problem was that not one of them was set up to facilitate
access by someone like my father.

Current demographic realities are creating financial and practical
reasons to build more homes, businesses, health-care facilities and public
buildings that are well suited to older people's needs.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines help, but
they do not ensure access or safety for this unique and rapidly growing
population. Many buildings are ADA-compliant but still difficult to navigate
for older adults who have one or more physical, sensory or cognitive
challenges, and especially for the frail elderly who have many.

To some, this may sound like a small issue. It's not. More than 40
million Americans are 65 or older, and 11 million - the fastest-growing segment
of the older population - are over age 80. Too often, current buildings turn
impairments - a bum leg, less-than-perfect hearing, the inability to walk long
distances - into handicaps.

Ironically, this includes not just restaurants, multi-level houses
and large businesses, but most health-care structures. I hear about this
regularly in my role as a doctor who makes house calls. While patients often
end up in our Care at Home practice because they can no longer leave their
homes, not infrequently the problem is at the other end: the hospital or clinic
is too hard to navigate.

Still, it wasn't until I left my father at the much-lauded new green
clinic that it occurred to me that the challenges that he and my patients faced
navigating medical facilities were symptomatic of a larger societal problem.

Just as green architecture and design came into being in response
to the energy crisis of the late 1970s, we in the 21st century have to start
creatively building to meet the challenges of our ageing population. We need
"silver" architecture and design.

What would a silver building look like? For starters, it would be
well-lit, and offer easy, safe access that doesn't require pulling open heavy
doors or remembering a key. Building materials would minimise noise,
overstimulation, distraction and the risk of falls. Doors, rooms and public
areas would accommodate walkers, wheelchairs and a person walking arm in arm
with a caregiver. There would be sturdy, regularly spaced chairs where people
could rest and regroup.

None of this is novel. These and other strategies are in use in
many long-term care facilities and in specialised areas of hospitals, such as
geriatric emergency departments or acute care of the elderly units. But they
aren't nearly as prevalent as they should be.

Dr Diana Anderson, a resident physician at Columbia University
Medical Centre who is also a licensed architect (she calls herself a
"dochitect"), says that "despite the growing health-care
specialisation in architecture, many spaces in health facilities are ill suited
for their actual use". Health care might be the ideal sector to start
developing design prototypes that could be applied to homes and even
neighbourhoods, so people can stay active and grow older without having to move
to retirement homes.

Over the next few years, we should begin to see prizes for
excellence in silver design, just as there are awards for green buildings. When
local communities review plans for new or improved buildings, they should start
by asking questions not only about job creation and traffic flow, and, for green
buildings, about sustainability and energy use, but also about how well the
design meets the needs of residents and consumers of all ages.

In health care, leaders should examine the considerable data on
how facilities harm and hinder older patients, and move forward only with
buildings that prioritise equal access, health and safety.

Some might say that buildings can't cater to every group with
special needs. But silver architecture and design aren't about indulging a
special-interest group. They're about maximising quality of life and
independence for a life stage most of us will reach.

Green architecture is good for the environment; silver
architecture is good for humans. The best new buildings will be both.

Standing at 615m, it will be double the height of Baiyoke II
Tower, Thailand's tallest building. It will also surge past Kuala Lumpur's
Petronas Towers, the tallest in South-east Asia, and come to a rest just 200m
shy of Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

The tower will house a six-star hotel and gleaming offices in a
glass-and-steel frame resembling a more angular and blue-tinged version of
London's Gherkin.

The man behind the project, Mr Yotin Boondicharern, is
uncharacteristically blase when asked why he was constructing such a tall
building.

"I wanted to fully utilise the construction permit. It'd be a
waste if we didn't use it," said the 73-year-old chairman of listed
developer Grand Canal Land.

While he hired American architecture firm Skidmore, Owings and
Merrill - the same company behind Burj Khalifa - he gave it little by way of a
design brief.

"I just told them how many hotel rooms I wanted to have and
so on," he said.

Cheerleaders in Asean's second- largest economy will no doubt cite
the Super Tower as another example of its good prospects, despite the Finance
Ministry's projections of just 1.4 per cent growth this year and 4.1 per cent
next year.

Thailand, which is still under martial law, is trying to regain
its footing after the military coup in May that ended seven months of political
turmoil.

"No matter what happens in politics, Thai businesses will move
on as usual," Mr Yotin said.

Sitting upright, his black jacket resting uneasily over a crisp
white shirt, Mr Yotin gives off the air of an old-school tycoon who steadily
grew his empire by keeping a close watch on the bottom line.

His grandparents left the Chaozhou region in southern China to
start a small business in Bangkok's Chinese-dominated Yaowarat district. At 13,
Mr Yotin was sent to Hong Kong where he later studied civil engineering at the
institute now known as Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

In the 1990s, he teamed up with Thai partners and the Chinese
government to develop Shanghai's Pudong area, and later extended his interests
to Shenzhen and Chengdu.

He also helped develop a hotel and retail project with a mall
called Fortune Town in Bangkok's Ratchadapisek Road. These days, it is better
known for its shops selling electronics or computer-related paraphernalia.

The father of three, who lives in a "little" 30-year-old
house on a 400 sq m plot in northern Bangkok, said the cash flow from his other
projects is enough to fund 40 per cent to 60 per cent of the 18 billion baht
(S$709.9 million) Super Tower. The rest will be financed through a bank loan.

The skyscraper, also in Ratchadapisek Road, forms the centrepiece
of a condominium, office and retail development spread out over 11.7ha of land
he picked up cheaply after the 1997 financial crisis.

Despite being poised to leave what is yet the most dramatic
imprint on Bangkok's skyline, Mr Yotin appeared reluctant to give his take on
the aesthetics of its sprawling towers.

"High-rise is high-rise, they look the same to me."

In the next few years, his Ratchadapisek cluster of developments
will include the future headquarters of Unilever, the global personal care
product giant, as well as a 36-storey office block shaped dramatically like the
letter G.

"The G tower looks like a dragon's head," he said,
pointing at its scale model on a table. "The most prosperous part of this
area will be the dragon's head."

Declaring he is not superstitious, he said: "It's just a
coincidence the tower looks like a dragon's head.

BEIJING - China's housing market will continue on a downward trend
in the fourth quarter, but at a slower rate, analysts say.

The average price of a new home in 100 major cities in October
fell for the sixth straight month, reaching 10,629 yuan (S$2,222) per sq m,
down 0.4 per cent from September, data from China Index Academy showed.

Prices in these cities fell 0.52 per cent in October from the same
month last year, ending 22 straight year-on-year increases.